1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for stabilizing platforms; such as, gun-firing platforms on tanks, ships and the like; and platforms having a lifting means connected therewith; such as, vertical take-off and landing craft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, gyroscopes, or gyros, have been used to stabilize ships, trains, planes, cars tanks, gun-firing platforms and the like; but the only ones ever used stabilized only in two directions, and not in all azimuthal directions in a horizontal plane at once. Particularly, the prior art did not employ a universally stabilizing gyroscope in a combination that was practical. Vertical take-off and landing craft have particularly needed such a practical stabilizing system, since they have required a high degree and constancy of attention by a skilled pilot; and have required modifying the lifting force for stabilization; for example, changing of pitch of rotor blades to compensate for increased lift that would otherwise occur during the forward traverse of the blade compared to the rearward traverse of the matching blade. Both the blades and pitch changing apparatus has been very expensive.
Thus, the prior art has failed to provide apparatus that would fully use the advantages of the gyro in all azimuthal directions, or directions of the compass, and that could be widely employed.
Moreover, the prior art has not provided a vertical take-off and landing craft that could employ conventional propellor blades instead of the extremely expensive rotor blades and the pitch adjusting means for continuously adjusting the pitch of the rotor blades during the forward movement of the blade as contrasted with rearward movement of the blade in its rotation about an axis disposed within the craft.